Yarosh on Donbas blockade: "We lend moral support to blockade participants although their methods seem to be wrong"

Ukrainian authorities must provide the society with clear strategy regarding trade with the occupied Donbas.

As reported by Censor.NET, this opinion was voiced by independent MP, leader of Diia (Action) movement Dmytro Yarosh in an interview with Gazeta.ua.

"From the very start of hostilities we have been consistently standing for break of all economic relations not only with the occupied territories but with the Russian Federation as the aggressor state. It makes perfect sense, since any trade has no justification during the war, including the fact that people will be left without heating. The government's huge mistake was that it failed to do so thus causing such a spike in civil disobedience," he said.

"We provide medical assistance to the blockade participants and all who require it. I instructed our military doctors to provide aid if necessary regardless of whether it is a person blocking a railroad or a highway or a member of the National Guard or police. The wedge is being driven between us too often. We must not allow discord to be sown between us. We must find something that would unite the nation. Otherwise Russia will crush us if everyone hogs the blanket," the politician said.

"We lend moral support to blockade participants although their methods seem to be wrong. It had to be done in a different way - with minimal damage to the state and economy. Though there is a great virtue - a serious blow being dealt to the Ukrainian oligarchs since Ukrainian state will not actually be Ukrainian as long as we have oligarchs," Yarosh said.

"As for the way out of the situation: there are no simple solutions here. It is necessary to negotiate. The force should in no way be used to unblock these trade routes. A single drop of blood can trigger a civil conflict. Society should be provided with a clear strategy taking into account that there is the aggressor state and we are now dependent on Russia or the occupied territories on certain points. However, we have a plan today and a completely different one tomorrow. People should understand that we make efforts to become completely independent of that same anthracite coal supplies," Yarosh said.

As reported, the checkpoints at Kryvyi Torets railroad crossing established to prevent trade with the occupied Donbas were overrun by the law enforcers on March 13. The police later showed weapons seized from the Donbas blockade participants.

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